Reuters: Two competing for Brickman

NEW YORK - Blackstone Group LP (BX.N) and KKR & Co LP (KKR.N) are among the buyout firms vying for Brickman Group Holdings Inc, the largest U.S. commercial landscaping company up for sale for around $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

TPG Capital LP and CVC Capital Partners Ltd are also participating in the auction for Brickman, which is now in its final stages, the sources said this week, asking not to be identified because the sale process is confidential.

Leonard Green & Partners LP, a Los Angeles-based, private equity firm, has asked Barclays Plc (BARC.L) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) to run an auction for Brickman, people familiar with the matter told Reuters in August.

Neither Leonard Green nor Brickman responded to requests for comments. Blackstone, TPG and CVC declined to comment while a KKR spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.